Bloodroot

Bloodroot
Sanguinaria canadensis
It is from the poppy family. I was so excited to see it. It had been a long winter and it is so much fun to see something blooming again. Bloodroot is one of the earliest plants, it emerges from nearly frozen soil, flowering well before trees leaf out.
These flowers lack nectar, quickly dropping petals after pollination. The genus name, Sanguinaria, comes from the Latin word for "bleeding", describing the red juice in the stems and roots, used by many cultures as a dye and insect repellent.

It's flowers open on sunny days, closing tightly at night. Leaves unroll in full sun, curling up around the flower stalk at night and on cloudy days.

This is a perennial native in Minnesota. It just started growing in one of my back garden bed. "A bed that has been neglected for a few years." I am so glad I didn't hoe it up. I marked it, because I hope it will continue to come up. Even if the flower is short lived, it has been a joy to see.

Today is Mosaic Monday. Thanks to Mary at Little Red House. Check out the others here.

First Bloom this Spring

This is my first bloom of the season. I am so excited! This plant has many common names. I call it "Johnny Jump Ups". These plants were in my mom's garden when I was young. I love them. I would pick them,bring them into the house, and my mom would put them in a vase.

They are also called: Heartsease, Wild Pansy, Love-In-Idleness, Call-Me-To-You, Pinkeney John. They are in the Viloa family.

The flower meaning is Happy Thoughts. I think that is a perfect name. They have always gave me happy thoughts.

Cornflower-Mountain Bluet

This photo was taken last night. It is so much fun to see the plants starting to come back. This plant is one of my favorites. It's common name is Cornflower, Mountain Bluet or Perennial Bachelor Buttons. It grows well in full sun and light shade and in poor to average soil fertility. In rich soil, plants may develop straggly, floppy growth and may become invasive. (I have not had this problem, but were it is planted the soil is not the best.)

Thin the new shoots by about one-third in the spring to increase air circulation through the plant. This will help with downy or powdery mildew, rust or mold. I have had rust some years, but I cut the plant back to the basal growth as soon as it is done blooming. It gets a second flush of blooms in the late summer.

The following photos were taken last spring and summer. This is what the flower looks like when it first opens.

Here it is open just a little bit more.

It still looks ok in this photo, but it is starting to fade.

Here it is almost done and the center is staring to go to seed.

This flower is so much fun to use in arrangements. I love to use it in 4th of July arrangements.

Today is Fertilizer Friday. Thanks to Tootsie Time. Check out the other here.

FT. Lake Johanna & Iverson Cabin

On Saturday my girlfriend and I went to a gardening class in Alexandria, MN. On the way there we stopped at this site. I have never stopped there before. It was early in the morning and a gorgeous day!

Do you see snow? Almost all of the snow is finally gone. Yeah!!!

We had to stop the car a few times along the way because there were deer crossing the highway.

We saw many herds of deer. I think this might be a deer trail on this photo?

I think the next time I am out that way, I will have to stop at Iverson's Cabin.

Today is Outdoor Wednesday. Please check out the others here. Thanks to Susan at a Southern Daydreamer.

Easter Egg Tree

My girlfriends and I got together and for a joke we were going to make an Easter tree for a house warming gift. This gift is for a bachelor that volunteered to have Easter at his new house for the first time, and had very little decorations.

I had never blown out an egg before. That was disgusting!

We painted them with water color pencils then hot glued the ribbon. It was so much fun.

The tree really looked cute. I was so surprised! Please check out the other Pink Saturdays.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

This beautiful bird has been around all winter. I'm not sure if it is the same bird or if it is a male or female.

It has been eating peanuts in the shell, seeds, and eating from the suet feeder.

I just love it when the wings are open. It has the most gorgeous color.

I have been reading about them and from what I have read, they commonly nest in a cavity excavated by the male mostly in dying trees. The male takes 7-10 days to complete excavation. But the most exciting thing is I have seen it come out of one of my homemade birdhouse gourds. Is it possible that it might be making a nest there? It has been raining here a lot so it could be possible that it is trying to stay out of the rain?

Here comes the sun!

We still have a lot of snow. The snowplows have the roads cleared nice, but there is still a lot of snow on the side of the roads and the ditches are full.

It has been a long winter. You can see by this photo there is still a lot of snow to melt. We have about 2 to 3 feet of solid snow. My flower beds are under this quilt of snow.

But the sun has been out, and the days are getting longer. The temps are getting nicer. Today is supposed to hit a high of 30 degrees.

Please check out the other outdoor Wednesday posts, thanks to Susan at a Southern Daydreamer.